Heartlines
by potatoes-are-not-for-sex
Summary: How did PJ end up running the forever train? What happened to his heart- why does Chris carry it around in an old worn suitcase? How did their lives ever end up so tragically twisted? Curses are fickle things, but all curses can be broken, if you know how. Kickthestickz story inspire by 'The Fantasy Train'
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

When the curse was enacted, Chris had imagined a curtain of black descending onto their lives, entangling and heavier than lead. He'd watched in horror, eyes fixated on PJ's face, as she'd plunged her hand deep into PJ's chest, as if his bones and muscle and skin were as unsubstantial to her as mist. In his desperation, he'd pleaded with her for a chance, nothing unreasonable- he wanted to be able to see PJ again, once a year. The forever train was a lifetime sentence but they both knew neither one would last that long if they were apart.

The irony must have been so sweet when she'd proclaimed to grant his desires and more, he could see PJ every single day if he wished it, and the relief had been so sweet that Chris hadn't paid close enough attention to PJ's eyes, pleading through his petrification, warning Chris of her trickery.

He could see PJ everyday, yes, every single one; but the price had been his heart.

With a sickening snap, she'd torn it from his chest, cackling with joy as she flung it towards Chris, who's fumbling resemblance of a catch gave her time to escape. No sooner was she gone than Chris, the pulsating, bloody flesh carefully grasped in his hands, hurried over to PJ, trying to draw his eyes away from the chasm where his heart once lay.

"PJ? Oh PJ how did we ever get entangled in this mess, what are we going to do?" The tears were streaming from his eyes and the salty taste seeped into his mouth but Chris couldn't care less for his own situation.

Rising slowly too his feet, the bonding curse clearly removed, PJ straightened his jacket and brushed the dirt from his hair. Chris waited, about to reach forward and grab PJ's forearm, desperate for words of hope, for any response, but then PJ straightened his back and spoke up.

"I do apologise sir, you seem to be quite distressed. However, it is my deepest regret to inform you that as much as I would love to assist you, I have an urgent appointment on the Forever Train- I'm the new train attendant you see, and I simply mustn't keep them waiting! Good day you you sir!" With a tip of his cap (which Chris was certain hadn't been there earlier), PJ turned on his heel and marched off into the mist, whistling an upbeat tube as he walked.

Chris stood, mortified, watching his love walk away, the beats of PJ's heart radiating across his palm in strong, heavy waves.

* * *

_How awesome was PJ's new video? I wanted to expand on it but I'm no where near my laptop, so this is the prologue and there is definitely more to follow! Expect fantasy, friendship and some kickthestickz love! :D Until then~ xx panfs_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The skyline melts into waves of purple and deep blue, as the second sun finally sets behind the craggy mountains, and Chris begins to wonder if he's been walking in the wrong direction. He's never been good at counting the stars so it's impossible to know what time it is, but as far as his stomach is concerned, its been far too long since he's had a meal. The air is turning colder now, his neck bare against the nipping breeze since he commandeered his scarf to be used as protection for PJ's heart. He clutched it to his chest with his left hand, the asynchrony of their heartbeats eerily comforting.

He's not entirely sure where he is going or what he hopes to find- something to help PJ, surely. But where to start? Chris has always liked the concept of an adventure, a gallant quest with a dashing hero and a powerful curse- but he usually imagined the hero as PJ in a very flattering costume and preferred curses staying where they belonged, in the newspaper headlines and happening to people who weren't him. That's not to say Chris believed other people deserved to be cursed more than them! It is more a matter of dealing with the unpleasant side of life- it exists no matter how hard you try, without magic its very hard to defeat witching clans. But he had always assumed that their wrath would fall on those who opposed them, who fought against them, not on his gorgeous, peace-loving boyfriend.

The path is dusty and wide, possibly designed for horse-drawn carriages originally, but seeing as the horses all moved up north after the revolution, it seems most likely this road has not been used for a long time, and is duly deserted. With a sigh of frustration, Chris takes a few steps into the dense forest that lines either side of the path and sits down on an old gnarly tree stump to rest for a few moments.

"Oy! Mind where you put that!" A high-pitched voice squeaks out from somewhere beneath Chris, and he leaps to his feet in surprise, quickly gathering himself and pulling the heart closer, ready to defend it with his life. However, he could not make out any form or figure between the trees or in the sky.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" His voice is more high-pitched than normal, the idea of an invisible nemesis far more petrifying than he'd anticipated.

"Don't start yelling at me- I don't go around sitting down on people like they're furniture!" Chris' eyes turn down to the stump, to the lumpy face frowning up at him. He'd only ever seen talking trees in the cinema but this one was just a stump and he most certainly did not look very amused.

"Here I am, minding my own business and enjoying the freedom of immobility when along comes Mr Gulliver himself, deeming me a pleasant place to pop his posterior- I don't think so!" The stumps voice squeaks in indignation at the end, causing Chris to flinch.

"I am so terribly sorry, I had no idea that you could-"

"That I could talk? Do you think that somehow makes it better? What, so you'll go around happily sitting down on whoever you please, so long as they've no voice to protest?" The bark crumples into a furious frown. "It's people like you who make me positively sick with this world! Thinking you're so much better than everyone with your two legs and phonetic language- well I have news for you! You're not!"

With a final, mighty glare at Chris, the stump closed its eyes and mouth, features melding back into the rough bark and disappearing cleverly between the flakes and crevasses. Unsure as to whether it was safe to move again, Chris edges back to the road and begins to walk again, his exhaustion forgotten in fear. But he's only walked a few meters when another voice calls out to him from the side of the road and his heart leaps into his throat once more.

"Hello? Is that a traveler?" This time, the voice is timid and softer, but Chris is cautious to approach. Holding his ground, he calls back into the night.  
"Yes! Who are you? What do you want?"

"Oh! Oh, I didn't mean to startle you! I was just so surprised to hear the sound of footsteps I thought I might be imagining things again." Whoever this is, they certainly don't sound intimidating. Before he's decided whether or not to ignore this voice and move on, or try get some directions, a small flickering light came floating out if the dense greenery.

"Oh you are real! That's so lovely- my imaginary friends are getting so boring and they're all stupid anyway, not like you!" The voice is coming from a fairy, no taller than the length of his hand, floating in the air in front of his face. Her grin is ecstatic and she brushes long blonde strands of hair off her face before continuing to ramble, bobbing in the air as she speaks. "It's been far too long since anyone's come this way and for no good reason either! Just because there's a few unlicensed witches still roaming around and occasionally the werewolves get too close to town- that's no reason to completely avoid us like the plague, is it! You're the first person, real person I mean, that I've seen in over thirty years! It's so awesome to meet you- my name's Becca!"

With the last word, she flutters forward to float right in front of Chris' eyes, momentarily blinding him. He takes a fumbled step backwards, trying to maintain some distance from the bright, babbling creature.

"L-lovely to meet you too, Becca." She continued to fly towards him, persistant in her enthusiasm.

"So... what are you up to? What brings you here!"

Chris is a little reluctant to tell her the truth, but she seems harmless enough and soon enough he had spilled the story of how a curse had landed his true love to be the attendant of the condemned forever train.

"Oh my goodness, that's so completely awful! The forever train is a nasty place, the wifi is rubbish and they don't even let you travel unless you get a ticket (which is pretty near impossible) and anyone who's working there is stuck for life- but I suppose if you have his heart, your-" She paused to give a little giggle, "Gorgeous boyfriend PJ won't even realise the awful sentence he's been given! A heart is the only thing that keeps you from loosing your mind there..."

She seemed lost in her memories, and PJ didn't want to disrupt her, but it was clear that Becca was a vital source of information.

"So, you've been on the forever train then?"

"Well duh! How do you think I got here from fairyland? Of course, I was much smaller then so I could just sneak on in my dads pocket, I couldn't do that now so I guess I'm pretty much stuck here till we can find a way to get back!" Her words sounded sad but her tone couldn't have been more ecstatic.

"Could you take me to the train? I will try my best to help you sneak aboard again!" Chris knows that he has no plan, but this seems to be a potential lead which could take him straight to PJ! There is the small issue of not knowing what to do when he arrives, but that is a problem to be solved later on.

Becca gives out a violent giggle, "I can't do that silly! I'm waiting for my dad to come back and he'll be so angry if I've wondered off with a stranger, again! Anyway, I have no idea how to get to the train now that I'm off it- there's a forget-me-lot charm on the whole affair!" Chris heart sinks a little and his disappointment must be evident on his face, because she quickly adds on- "But you could try the voiceless chanter? She's just a little further down the road, we passed her by when we were looking for a hollow to set up home in. She seemed pretty clever, even if it took forever to get any answers!"

Chris nods, "I'll try that, thank you for your help Becca!" Unconsciously pulling PJ's heart closer again, Chris straightens up, ready to face the open road once more. Before he can depart, however, Becca suddenly flies directly in front of his face once more.

"You know, if it doesn't work out and you need a place to stay, my hollow is always available for you." She giggles again, apparently a habit of hers. "My dad often goes out and it might be a bit of a squeeze but I have no doubt I'd find something- _exciting_ to keep you distracted the long days without your PJ."

Chris makes a swift sidestep to avoid Becca's oncoming lips and begins a swift pace down the path, calling out over his shoulder as he leaves, "M-aybe another time or something!" before scurrying away, the echoes of Becca's manic laughter chasing his ankles long after her glowing light had faded away.

* * *

_Yay new chapter! I was going to wait till next saturday to update but thanks to the lovely reviews I got for the first chapter, I was inspired to post earlier :P again, apologies that this is all a little wacky- I am studying for awful exams and this is currently my indulgent reward for finishing some work! I hope you enjoyed this part and see you soon!_

_xx panfs_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The sunlight is tinged with a pale green as it comes fluttering down through the leafy foliage, warming the morning air and rousing Chris from his exhausted slumber. The sounds of the forest which had been eerie and isolating at night, had since become friendlier and softer. Before his eyes could see well enough to guide him, his ears found birds and rustling branches and creaking wood. It is a good few minutes before Chris decides to open his eyes properly and greet the day.

When he does, he is greeted with the rather visceral reminder of his purpose- still beating and still cradled in his arms. With a yawn, the kindness of morning is stretched away to give way to his imperative task. Using the wooden slats behind his back to assist in standing up slowly and carefully, Chris manoeuvres holding the heart to pull his jacked back on and runs his free hand through his tousled hair. Turning around, it occurs to him that he doesn't remember falling asleep against a small wooden cottage last night- but here it is, as quaint and as mahogany as the trees surrounding them.

It looks as simple as any house Chris could imagine- wooden slats leaving space for a plain door and two square windows with floral blinds bunching behind the frame, a thin chimney protruding from the angled, wooden roof which seemed inactive, and a small knocker on the front door, also wooden, carved into the shape of a small snail.

Impressed by the intricate handicraft and still short of any plan, Chris decides that the best course of action will be to see if anyone is inside, so he lifts the small piece of wood and gives the door two sharp knocks.

Nothing happens for a few minutes and Chris is torn between trying again or letting whoever lives here be. It seems a pity not to try once more, there may well be no one inside or someone who isn't keen for visitors, but the steady beat in his palm drives him to hope for a response. This time, as he brings down the knocker against the wood, the door budges slightly inwards, and with a little more pressure, swings open.

The light inside is blindingly strong, surprisingly so, as Chris had not noticed any light coming through the blinds. He inches forwards, unable to make out any forms or edges in particular, arms outstretched and calling into the white.

"Hello? Is anyone here? Your door was open and I- AHH!"

His left foot stepped forward but didn't land on anything solid and before he had a chance to wonder at the sensation of his foot falling through onto nothing, he started tumbling down into a void. His left arm grabs desperately to the scarf-wrapped heart, while his right flails out into the rushing air, searching for a surface to grab at to slow his fall, but it finds nothing by empty space, and he continues to fall down, further and further.

Just when he's beginning to wonder just how far down he's gone - and whether the fall will ever stop, he begins to slow down, gently enough that he might almost call it pleasant, and the blinding light slowly fades away, and Chris can see that he is, in fact, falling down onto what appears to be a large patch of grass.

When he finally slows down to a complete halt, just inches above the ground, his eyes have adjusted enough to see that the seemingly never-ending greenery is actually rows and rows of lettuce, growing happily under the warm light streaming down from the two suns, perched on either side of the skyline.

He doesn't descend any further, just floats in midair, held up by invisible force. With great care, he lifts a foot and steps down, giving a loud sigh of relief at the sensation of solid ground beneath his shoes. Taking a step or two more, just to ensure that he isn't about to tumble through another floor, he turns his attentions to the package in his arms, unwrapping a section of the scarf cautiously. Thankfully, the heart doesn't appear to have suffered for the slight diversion, still beating keenly and pulsating in his hands. With a small smile, he wraps it up again and begins to walk, not in any particular direction, just one step after the other.

Looking around, he is amazed by the sheer number of lettuce heads that cover the ground, as far as his eyes can see. The ground beneath his feet is warm- a dark, earthy brown- and soft beneath his steps. He relishes the fresh air, breathing in deeply as he strolls.

Gradually, he hears the softest strains of a song, floating on the breeze in gentle hums. Searching to the horizon, he spots a small figure approaching him. As the distance between them shrinks, he can see long strands of yellow hair bouncing along behind her as she skips along. Eventually, they are only meters apart, and Chris watches as she pulls a large wooden board from under one hand, adjusting her grip on a wicker basket with the other.

Finally, they stand face to face, and Chris can see every detail of her beaming face. Her eyes are shining and the smile is unwavering as he greets her, but she doesn't reply, other than continuing to hum her happy tune, and kneels on the floor before him. Following suit, he kneels as well, watching as she lays the board flat onto the ground and reaches into her basket, only to pull out a palm covered with small, purple snails.

"What- what are you doing?" Chris wants to appear friendly, but she still doesn't respond, spreading the snails out over the board before grabbing another handful and doing the same with them. She continues humming and pulling purple snails from her bag until the board is covered in them, until she finally appears to decide that there are enough and she stops humming, looking up at Chris expectantly.

"Er-" He glances around, trying to avoid her steady gaze, unsure of what she is expecting to happen next. "You have very nice snails?"

At this, she giggles softly, and Chris grins.

"So you do understand me!" She nods, and looks down at the snails, who begin to move across the board right on cue, despite her continued silence. Chris watches with her, the long blonde curls spreading everywhere and tickling his left ear, and to his astonishment, the a word slowly forms from out of the mass of purple shells, reading '_Hello_'.

Chris gives a low whistle, it is a very impressive show. Their small shells are perfectly aligned to form the borders of the letters and the stranger grins up at him, clearly very proud.

"Did you train them? That's amazing! And you didn't even say a word! Do they understand English?" Her smile turns into a slight from again, and she looks down, Chris following suite, this time watching the words form with anticipation, and letting out a short giggle when they come together to say, '_slow down_'

"Sorry. Let me try again!" Chris smiles at her, impressed and also glad to have met someone who seems unimposing and friendly. "Do they speak for you?"

She nods, smiling, and he desperately wants to ask her why she can't speak, seeing as she can definitely hum and has no issues understanding him, but it seems like a rude question considering that they've just met. But to his surprise, she looks down, and the snails begin to move again, despite any exchange of words, until they'd coherently formed the letters to spell out '_the witch_'.

Chris blinks his astonishment, but doesn't question it any further. Maybe she could read his mind? Maybe the snails could read his mind? Carrie giggles again, a soft tinkling sound, and reaches out her hand, which Chris accepts. Beneath their exchange, the snails are moving again, and he has to wait a little longer, until they've finally made another statement for him- '_my name is carrie_'.

He looks back up at her, those blue eyes sparkling, and releases her hand. Slowly, he pulls back the scarf to show her what he's holding, trying not to shock her, but she seems more curious than anything, and reaches forward to press two fingers against the fabric, feeling the beating beneath her own fingers. Wrapping the scarf tightly once more, he catches her glance.

"Hello Carrie! My name is Chris, and I'm looking for a way to get this heart back to PJ. Do you think you can help us?"

Carrie smiles widely, showing two rows of neat teeth, and nods with great cascades of golden hair, humming happily as she packs up her snails.

* * *

_I hope you enjoyed my interpretation of Carrie! A lot more of her still to come, and hopefully soon! Thank you for reading this chapter and, if you havn't already, please head to my profile and fill in the poll so I can choose to update the stories you most want to read :D Virtual lettuces for Malteser24, ElzyPhangirl, RainbowPeaches, vogonsoup, TheAdelaide9, NeverlandNat and stellapurple219 for reviewing the last part and making me smile! _

_And finally (sorry for such a long note) if you are a writer please check out the christmas fantastic foursome fic exchange linked on my profile! It's a really relaxed exchange and everyone is invited so please come join up and message me with any questions, it should be super fun! _

_Until next time,_

_xxx panfs_


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